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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22543909">ties in blood</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/rinnegan/pseuds/rinnegan'>rinnegan</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Vampire, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 14:42:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,088</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22543909</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/rinnegan/pseuds/rinnegan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sasuke doesn't know why his body refuses to accept food—until he learns that he is craving for something else. It doesn't help that Naruto's smell is suddenly so alluring. | vampire AU, SNS</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>85</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello everybody! </p>
<p>This is the vampire AU no one asked for. :^}</p>
<p>Anyways, before you guys start to read: in this story Sasuke might seem like he has developed an eating disorder. He has not. But if you're sensitive about food or throwing up, please don't read this story. Your mental health comes first. </p>
<p>And now: enjoy the show!! :^D</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Sasuke is hungry.</p><p>It is raining, raining so much for the last few days that the sewers can't consume all of the water anymore and the meadows are barely any grass but mud.</p><p>He is outside, standing in this goddamn park at nearly midnight, without any lost soul nearby to accompany him, to feel anything else than <em>hunger.</em></p><p>This everytime, all-consuming hunger that drives him insane.</p><p>He is looking at the pitch-black sky, mouth open, the thick raindrops feel chilly on his pale skin but he isn't shivering as he feels the thirst—that he didn't know existed a minute ago—shrink just a little bit.</p><p>The hunger stays anyway.</p><p>He stopped eating food at all two months ago since his body couldn't manage to hold anything within him—not even his favorite tomato soup—and the hunger making it worse every single time he threw up.</p><p>Doctors said it is his body reacting to stress. But he didn't feel stressed when this started. He does now, though, because he's avoiding every social contact in his life to not worry anybody anymore. He can't listen to their sad voices.</p><p>He can't stand his best friend looking so disappointed when he is not eating anything again because his body won't accept food anymore.</p><p>The evening Naruto started to yell at him for eating nothing of the food he especially ordered for him, with water in his eyes and cheeks decorated with red full of pure anger, the voice thick and shaky, he decided to stay away from him.</p><p>He then had gotten out of Naruto's house without saying a goodbye to him, running home, slamming his door shut and ignoring every message Naruto had sent.</p><p>He called in sick for school and barricaded himself in his room for days. Always this crippling hunger inside of him that evolves into nausea when he tries to shove dry bread down his throat.</p><p>After the eighth day the messages and calls stopped abruptly—and he had felt sad about Naruto abandoning him so easily—but then his doorbell rang and didn't stop for at least thirty minutes.</p><p>He didn't know how long Naruto stayed and tried to reach him but when he took the headphones out of his ears after hours, everything was quiet.</p><p>The next time he checked his phone, he couldn't see Naruto's profile picture anymore and felt a little relieved, even though the numbness inside his chest weight much heavier than he would have admitted.</p><p>Sasuke sighs, heart heavy and full of sorrow, and begins to walk. He listens carefully to the thrum of water splashing on the ground, asking himself when his sight at night became so good and after a while of walking, he hears a person behind him, coming closer hastily and impatiently with every footstep they make.</p><p>He thinks he knows the smell very well that abruptly conquers his neural system and increases his hunger so much that he thinks he can feel little thunderstorms in his fingertips, goosebumps all over his body.</p><p>Sasuke stops suddenly, his muscles stiffening and his fingernails cutting in the inside of his hands.</p><p>It sounds like someone is almost stumbling.</p><p>„Sasuke?“ he hears a <em>too</em> familiar voice that automatically increases his heartbeat, his world shattering by the crackling of Naruto's voice.</p><p>„Don’t,“ growls Sasuke, trying to think something else than <em>Naruto, Naruto, Naruto—</em>because that's the only answer his heart seems to know. „Don't come any closer.“</p><p>And because the footsteps behind him don't stop, he runs.</p><p>He runs until the pain in his lungs is greater than the one in his stomach and his legs won't carry him any longer, a loud noise thrumming inside his ears, he stops and bends over.</p><p>His dry mouth devours the cool air and he can literally feel the oxygen pumping through his veins, making him feel more alive.</p><p>After a few seconds his sense of smell comes back and he realizes that the scent hasn't changed a bit, yet he can't hear anything besides the tinnitus inside his head—and he knows he should probably run again, away, far far away, but he is so tired and he is sure his legs won’t hold his weight.</p><p>He is thrown to the ground the next moment by another body with full force and feels so heavily dragged into the soil, not just because of his soaked clothes but the tiredness craved in his bones. He immediately curses the rain the second he feels the warmth radiating from Naruto into his cold and wet body, making it easier to spread.</p><p>The next thing Sasuke hears is, „Bastard!“</p><p>And the next thing Sasuke feels is a fist slamming his cheek, probably bruising it—but all he can think about is the warmth taking over, colliding with the strong smell of something intensely sweet. <em>So, so sweet. </em></p><p>His mouth is watering instantly.</p><p>He doesn’t even like sweets.</p><p>And then he gets so angry that he can't breathe anymore, he roars and grabs aggressively after Naruto, who is already landing his second hit, to push him off of him. He is surprised by the power he is able to use.</p><p>„Leave me the fuck alone!“ he screams and pushes again, but Naruto's grip is so tight that everything he manages is Naruto falling back, pulling him over him.</p><p>Naruto, baring his teeth, digs his nails in Sasuke's face. „I won't!“</p><p>Both try to gain the upper hand, rolling through the grass, biting and fighting. Sasuke is sure he would easily throw Naruto off if there wasn't that dizziness crawling over his senses, agglutinating his thoughts into one cloud by every second he smells this alluring flavor. He thinks Naruto's breath smells even sweeter.</p><p>„Fucking Loser,“ pants Sasuke nonetheless and lands another hit in Naruto's face, already having a bloody lip and a scratched eyebrow. Before he can shut his mouth again, Naruto's knuckles scuff over his teeth, ripping the skin open.</p><p>The moment Sasuke tastes the overly sweet thickness inside his mouth, so clearly on his tongue, his heart skips a beat. He suddenly feels so incredibly hot.</p><p>He knows he hears the quiet scream evolving into something more when he grabs thoughtlessly Naruto's fist and pushes his skin violently against his teeth, to taste more of it, he knows, but he doesn't recognize it. He doesn't <em>feel </em>it.</p><p>In this second Sasuke's existence is only based on this torrid, sugary sensation that burns his body from within, a deep thumbing inside his stomach, willing for more.</p><p>He distantly hears Naruto's hissing as he buries his teeth into his hand, longing for the peace that overcomes his body and his thoughts with every drop he swallows. There are goosebumps everywhere.</p><p>„Your... eyes, “ says Naruto breathless, his brows furrowed, and his hand in Sasuke's grip loses because Naruto was never good at concentrating on two things on the same time.</p><p>„They're red“, he murmurs incredously and comes closer, so close that their noses touch and Sasuke thinks he goes insane by the sensory overload—everything his mind perceives screams one name: Naruto.</p><p>When his eyes start to fixate again, he can see what Naruto is talking about; he sees the red reflection of his red irises in Naruto's blue eyes, disbelievingly trembling in his orbits.</p><p>„How?“ whispers Naruto and Sasuke lets immediately go of the others' hand, which brings Naruto only closer, his lips brushing his own for a second when Sasuke panics and then pushes him off of him.</p><p>It seems a lot easier now. His thoughts are getting clearer. He feels stronger.</p><p>Satisfied. Almost.</p><p>Naruto gasps surprised as he lands in the mud next to them. Sasuke inhales sharply and tries to come to his feet but is interrupted by Naruto shouting „No!“ and a foot in his stomach, bouncing back with his ass on the ground.</p><p>„You're not going anywhere, Sasuke," he hisses and throws himself again over Sasuke, bringing him down with all of his weight.</p><p>„Get lost, Naruto,“ growls Sasuke. He can see Naruto looking at his mouth for a second as he speaks, then looking back at his eyes.</p><p>„Moron“ is all that Naruto says, almost fondly, his eyes still focused on something in his face Sasuke can’t see. „It’s okay.“</p><p>And with the words said, Naruto pushes his wrist closer to Sasuke—to Sasuke's mouth—until his lips touch the warm skin of his best friend. He shudders strongly as he takes in the infatuating scent, feels the gently blood flow under his own lips.</p><p>His heart feels airy and his whole body is on fire. He instinctively bares his teeth and scratches slowly over the flawless skin, then takes a deep, shaky breath. He opens his mouth a little more, presses his tongue against the skin and exhales through his nostrils, eyes peacefully closing.</p><p>When he hears Naruto quietly panting, something snaps inside him.</p><p>He abruptly opens his eyes again and shoves vigorously at Naruto, who—again—comes down in the mud; this time, Sasuke is much faster at his feet, bringing space between him and Naruto.</p><p>„Are you insane?!“ Sasuke screams loudly, his eyes getting watery, the hands turned to fists. He is breathing heavily, a faint noise in his ears, Naruto's smell still occupying his mind.</p><p>„Sasuke—w-wait—!“</p><p>But Sasuke, again, runs.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello everybody! </p>
<p>I am SO happy to see that the story is so well recieved by all of you. Thanks for everbody who reads, comments or leaves kudos on this story. It keeps me motivated! &lt;3<br/>For whatever reason the chapters are getting longer and longer. :^D </p>
<p>TW for this chapter, better safe than sorry.<br/>There are descriptions of throwing up and an anxiety attack.</p>
<p>See you soon!! :^)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>1 month later</em>
</p>
<p>Sasuke is walking on the midnight streets of Konoha, feeling the cool breeze of the night on his face, in his ear the distant chatter of a few people who still aren't sure where to spend their night as he leisurely targets his own destination—a pub in the alleyways of this city.</p>
<p>A place he is very sure not to meet anybody he doesn't want—<em>can't</em>—to see.</p>
<p>He takes in all the beauty of the night through the eyes of a child that sees the world for the first time;</p>
<p>For one month now, he is able to see things other people would miss, that he missed just a few months ago, too.</p>
<p>The world had changed and yet stayed the same.</p>
<p>With every step he comes closer to the location, he feels the excitement rising in his veins, fastening his walk—he is here because his mind is telling him he must find something to satisfy his thirst.</p>
<p>He had tried to suppress this feeling for the last couple of days but it's getting stronger with every minute he tries to think of something else than needing this <em>sweet, addictive taste</em> again.</p>
<p>Tonight, he <em>must</em> get it.</p>
<p>After what had happened in the park with—with him—the hunger inside him didn't dwell for weeks. He is still scared of himself, though, but willing to survive. Or at least trying the crazy thing his mind is telling him.</p>
<p>Going through the front door of the pub, he takes in the sweaty, hot air and scans all the people, searching for the right one. He feels a little carried away by all the different smells he is able to distinguish.</p>
<p>The various body odors blend with the beer and the smoke of the cigarettes in here, it is a lot to take in for his brain that begins to hurt lightly the more time in that pub passes.</p>
<p>He decides to pick the most drunk person in this room to increase the chance of being forgotten by whoever he will–more or less–ask for a little favor in the next hour.</p>
<p>He still doesn't know how to do this properly—which means, he doesn't know if the other person will try to kill him for nourishing himself with their—their blood. Or if he is going to kill someone.</p>
<p>It still sounds unbelievable even in his head.</p>
<p>In the end, he goes for the sleeping guy in the corner of the room, praying he won't remember anything as he approaches him. The guy has blonde hair and doesn't remember him of Naruto at all.</p>
<p>He learns that it is very easy to persuade a drunk person to follow you when you say nice things and smile.</p>
<p>Just as they place themselves on the bench a few side streets away, the other guy falls almost instantly asleep again, mumbling something Sasuke doesn't understand—and he really doesn't care at this point.</p>
<p>He even thinks it's rather a fortunate coincidence because his chance of experiencing resistance is very low and even when this guy can remember something, he will surely think it had been a bad dream after all.</p>
<p>But he still feels torn because he knows he has to do this to feel better for a while, but he is also aware of the fact that his life hadn't always been like that; and he still doesn't know why his body had changed so much he probably wasn't human anymore.</p>
<p>Or maybe he had never been.</p>
<p>Sasuke sighs.</p>
<p>He leads the guy's left wrist to his mouth, his heart beating so fast he thinks he will faint if it won't slow down soon. He inhales the smell of his sweaty skin—and doesn't know if he's dissatisfied or not. It's kind of okay but not really <em>good</em>.</p>
<p>But by the time he cuts with his teeth through the skin and the first drop of sweetness touches his tongue, he must pause to settle his feelings, holds his breath. Even though he can clearly taste the lots of alcohol the guy consumed over the night, mixing a bitter flavor to the fluid, it's still pleasant enough to diminish his thirst. He had starved for so long.</p>
<p>(He kind of feels disgusted of himself, though.)</p>
<p>Sasuke immediately let's go of the other's hand when he hears him mutter something, still sleeping, but he can sense that the guy is probably waking up from the—the sucking on his wrist. Maybe the chilliness of the night is making him sober.</p>
<p>Either way, he thinks he has enough already.</p>
<p>The hunger feels smaller, so small he even figures that he won't have to do this again for another few weeks if he is lucky. He hopes he is.</p>
<p>But somehow his insides feel dull and it worries him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This morning, when he is sleeping peacefully in his bed, and the birds just begun to sing their lullaby for the moon, he is woken up by an intense pain in his abdomen. It shoots through his body like thunder—it hurts so much he straightway sits in his bed, with eyes narrowed and a halting breathing.</p>
<p>It takes several minutes before he can think something else than pure <em>pain</em>; it's happening because whatever it is that hurts so much is transforming in the worst nausea he has ever experienced in his whole life.</p>
<p>He feels cold sweat on his forehead, then on his palms, and in the next second he throws up all of his stomach content on his floor.</p>
<p>It is all—all red.</p>
<p>Blood.</p>
<p>And somehow, he knows it isn't his own blood, that he isn't bleeding from the inside, but it's rather the blood of the guy from last night.</p>
<p>It seems his body neither maintains normal food nor blood.</p>
<p>For a long time, Sasuke is only looking at the puddle of vomit next to his bed, feeling so, <em>so</em> dumb for believing that drinking someone else's blood would help him—which means, he is still human after all, right? That's meant to be a good thing.</p>
<p>But he doesn't feel that way.</p>
<p>(He didn't throw up the night he consumed Naruto's blood.)</p>
<p>Before he is capable of cleaning his room from this mess, he has to steady his breath, a faint soreness in his stomach, making him feel uneasy.</p>
<p>He is not looking on his floor when he is mopping up the fluid.</p>
<p>After that, he decides to take a shower, feeling dirty and hollow, throwing all his clothes into the washing machine and then stepping into the hot and steamy water, warming up his body that feels so incredibly cold.</p>
<p>It's kind of unnerving but the shower gel he uses hurts in his nasal passages, the smell of mint too intense—he throws growling it out of the shower and then washes himself only with water.</p>
<p>He wants it all to stop. It's too much.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, he tries to relax under the water, thinking of nothing than the warmth on his skin. It doesn't work very well. He stays another few minutes out of stubbornness and then dries himself with the softest towels he can find. They are blue-colored.</p>
<p>Because he still doesn't know better, he goes into kitchen and opens the fridge. It's completely empty for three months now. He's still looking for food he gets nausea from only by smelling it.</p>
<p>He slowly closes the door, feeling very tired out of sudden, still with the mix of hunger, nausea and pain in his stomach. He sighs.</p>
<p>Suddenly, the doorbell starts to ring and Sasuke stiffens, one hand still at the fridge, looking at the door too terrified to admit. He only knows one idiot who would still try to reach out to him—the others, like Sakura, stopped a month or so ago. He recognized it; his heart heavy with bitterness.</p>
<p>„Open the door! I know you're here, bastard!“, shouts it through the door and Sasuke hears his voice like standing right next to him. „I won't go anywhere unless you'll talk to me!“</p>
<p>And then, much louder: „Sasuke!“</p>
<p>Sasuke doesn't move an inch, even holding his breath to be as quiet as possible and not being detected by Naruto, who would possibly pry the door open if he knew certainly Sasuke was at home. Or at least his voice sounded like that.</p>
<p>He kind of feels attachment for Naruto and his stubbornness.</p>
<p>But, in the end, he will reject him, too. It is only a matter of time, Sasuke is sure.</p>
<p>Instead of shouting anymore, Naruto changes to knock heavily on his door. The persistence Naruto applies to his attempt of reaching out to Sasuke almost impresses him. But it is a hopeless manner, after all. Sasuke approaching Naruto ever again was too dangerous—the only reason Naruto tries to contact him in the first place must be that he wants to say that he hates him and that Sasuke is... abnormal.</p>
<p>Which Sasuke finds himself not disagreeing with, at least not entirely.</p>
<p>The good thing of Naruto knocking at his door now was that Sasuke feels pretty confident that Naruto wouldn't hear him—at least not if all the sounds he made are from breathing. Even if the time of holding his breath seems to have extended, he feels the strong urge to put oxygen back in his system.</p>
<p>What he didn't expect as he took in a deep breath—but maybe he should have, at this point—is the intensely odor in the air that almost immediately let him feel dizzy. The scent lies heavily and sweet in the air, it's almost like Sasuke can <em>taste</em> it on his tongue. It's making Sasuke's mouth water. He has to swallow twice but it is only making it worse, the scent taking over his senses.</p>
<p>The sudden hunger he experiences overwhelms him and before he knows what is happening, he is walking  towards his door, mind blank, driven by the inner force of reaching and opening the door to—</p>
<p>„I'm coming back!“, he hears Naruto furiously yell, kicking at his door to underline his anger. Sasuke abruptly stops his motions, his right hand hanging frozen in the air, ready to grab his doorknob. He blinks, a blank expression on his face.</p>
<p>In the same second, he hears footsteps recede from the location Naruto stood on a moment ago.</p>
<p>„Fuck!“  His anger bursts out of him, his voice breaking midway because his throat feels drier than ever before, and he's slamming his fist against the wall. He is breathing heavily, the smell still lingering in the air but thin enough for Sasuke to catch clear thoughts. He is grossed out by the sight of his own blood on his knuckles.</p>
<p>When he sees his pallid face in the mirror as he tries to wash the blood off his hand, he badly panics. Swirling red eyes with three commas engraved are looking back—they don't feel familiar at all.</p>
<p>His chest feels suddenly so tight it gets physically demanding to breath, his eyes start to burn like all his face does and when splashing water into his face doesn't do any good, he sticks his whole head under the cold water.</p>
<p>The intense feeling of iciness on his skin begins to help after half a minute. The burning of his lungs lightens, making it easier to slowly take one breath after another.</p>
<p>When he finally looks back in the mirror, dull black eyes are watching him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The same night, when he lies flat in his bed, cursing the moon, he grabs his mobile phone and dials the number of the only person he now can talk to.</p>
<p>The person on the other side almost immediately answers the phone.</p>
<p>„Good to hear from you, brother.“</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello again! :^) </p>
<p>I am very excited to update this story because it means that we will directly dive into the vampire-stuff now and I hope no one will be disappointed!<br/>Let me know what you think of it, okay? &lt;3<br/>Next time we see us, there will be a lot more of SNS-moments, I hope you are as excited as I am. xd </p>
<p>Are you guys interested in another vampire-AU? I am already plotting one and it will probably be longer than ties in blood, containing more vampires, a vacation job in a museum and LOTS of pining. </p>
<p>Now, enjoy the show!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>„You look like shit, dear brother“ is the first thing Itachi says in his nonchalant way of greeting his little brother when Sasuke opens the door in his pajamas with dark green bags under his eyes and greasy hair.</p>
<p>Sasuke answers, „I'm happy to see you, too.“</p>
<p>He opens the door a little bit more to let Itachi into his flat and takes in a deep breath when his brother walks behind him, relief settling deep in his guts. He releases the air through his nostrils and carefully closes the door.</p>
<p>He had feared that he would want to attack his brother, too. But whatever forced him into wanting someone's blood didn't awake at the sight of Itachi.</p>
<p>„Thank god,“ mumbles Sasuke silently.</p>
<p>„What?“</p>
<p>Sasuke shakes his head. „Nothing.“</p>
<p>His brother watches him for a second with an expression Sasuke can't read—which wasn't a new thing, actually—, then his face displays a soft smile around his lips, his eyes friendly closed, arms grabbing after Sasuke.</p>
<p>„So, am I getting a hug from my little brother?“</p>
<p>Sasuke edges an eyebrow, slightly amused by the easiness his brother brings with him, his heart feeling less holey as he is tugged into a long hug.</p>
<p>He only then starts to realize how much he had needed that.</p>
<p>Sasuke feels a little bit stronger after they part and settles himself onto the chair next to the table, not entirely sure how to start this conversation and if he should really do it. It means telling Itachi a secret that might endanger him if Itachi believed him. Maybe then he could disguise it as a bad joke when—</p>
<p>„I will listen when you're ready.“</p>
<p>Sasuke nods with bis face blank from any emotion; although everything inside him screams.</p>
<p>„I—I think I am sick,“ he awkwardly starts, not looking in his brother's face as he speaks. He can see that Itachi stops in his motion due to peripheral vision. He tries not to be affected by it. „When I am trying to eat something—I don't know—My body refuses to accept the food.“</p>
<p>„Did you already consult a doctor?“ Itachi asks, his voice lowering when forming vocals—Sasuke knew he did that when he was worried but wouldn't want to share his emotion yet.</p>
<p>Sasuke nods. „Several. They say it's stress. But I don't believe them.“</p>
<p>„Did they give you any form of treatment?“</p>
<p>„Yes, but it was some homeopathic bullshit. Globules. I throw them away.“</p>
<p>Itachi chuckles, nodding in agreement and Sasuke finds himself having a reason to smile after a long time—it feels weak and is barely visible, but it is there.</p>
<p>Itachi's face straightens, being his honest self again. „What did you exactly mean that your body won't accept food?“</p>
<p>Sasuke doesn't answer at first, then opens his mouth, finger curling and uncurling in an attempt to relax himself.</p>
<p>„I throw up.“</p>
<p>„Without any intention to do so, I assume?“</p>
<p>Sasuke gaps for air, furiously eyeing his brother. „Of course!“</p>
<p>He knows the way his brother is looking at his face that Itachi is searching for any trait of a lie. He doesn't know if he should feel offended by the fact that his brother might suspect him lying—but he settles for the answer that Itachi is just worried about his little brother. Sasuke would behave the same the other way around.</p>
<p>„I believe you,” Itachi replies honestly. He crosses his legs. “Did you recognize any other symptoms that seem… well, odd?”</p>
<p>Sasuke eyes his brother with uncertainty, then swallows. He would start off with the light stuff.</p>
<p>„Yes,“ he begins. „I don't know when it started or why, but I see so much better at night than I used to. Even when there are no streetlights, I can differ between colors.“</p>
<p>Itachi's expression changes slightly into something between astonishment and prudence. His gaze is locked with Sasuke's, eagerly interested in the things Sasuke is telling him.</p>
<p>Sasuke doesn't feel hungry when he thinks of food.</p>
<p>„The same goes with my senses of smell and hearing. Sometimes I smell food and get instant nausea. I often think people's odors are... overwhelming.“</p>
<p>„What emotions do you experience when smelling others?“</p>
<p>Sasuke blinks once, then twice. He's still looking in the eyes of his brother. It's getting difficult to stand it. He tries to remember, frowning.</p>
<p>„Sometimes I feel—I feel like going away as far away as possible. But there are times in which I can't think of something better to smell.“</p>
<p>He feels awkward and breaks the eye contact. Itachi says nothing.</p>
<p>Then, he continues, „There is someone that smells especially good. It's making me so dizzy that I feel like losing control of myself when I am around them. “</p>
<p>Even though he is talking to his brother—the person he trusts the most—he doesn't feel safe to tell all of this. He still doesn't know what to make of this mess by himself, but, he remembers, that's one of the reasons why he is telling Itachi. To receive help, if possible. That doesn't mean telling the whole truth, though. Not at once at least.</p>
<p>„Yesterday, I threw up again, because I—“</p>
<p>The smell of blood.</p>
<p>Sasuke looks panicked at his brother, who seems to have bitten his finger. There are little drops of red. One is falling on the table.</p>
<p>„It's true,“ Itachi says blankly and simply licks the blood of his own finger, seeming absolutely calm. „Even though I never thought it to be possible.“</p>
<p>There is silence for seconds.</p>
<p>„What are you talking about, Itachi?“</p>
<p>Itachi inhales, then smiles his soft smile. Sasuke feels irritated.</p>
<p>„I'm talking about you carrying the gift that made the Uchiha's what they are.“</p>
<p>„For fuck's sake, could you stop talking in riddles for once?“</p>
<p>Itachi's smile widens as he puts his chin onto his folded hands and the only answer he gives is the red swirling to life in his left eye.</p>
<p>„That's—“</p>
<p>There's a warm hand on his shoulder, obviously in an attempt to  soothe his little brother, simultaneously shutting Sasuke up with the gesture.</p>
<p>„The ability that turns our eyes red is called Sharingan. It's something exclusively gifted to the members of our Clan and is generally used to control the minds of those we are feeding on. But—“ Itachi raises the finger of his right hand as Sasuke tries to speak up. „First, let me tell you all I know, there's enough time to ask afterwards.“</p>
<p>Sasuke nods. He doesn't know what he is supposed to think or feel.</p>
<p>„As I wanted to say, the Sharingan probably caused your increased sense of sight since it can be used to memorize even the smallest motions of others. What is particularly advantageous when you are hunting, of course.“</p>
<p>Itachi exhales, suddenly seeming very sad.</p>
<p>„And I am so sorry that you had to live through this all by yourself, little brother, I truly am, “ says Itachi and the hand on Sasuke's shoulder slips to his hands, carefully cupping them. Sasuke doesn't pull away, but feels his heartbeat increasing. „We're not supposed to tell anything to those who are not turned, even when they are family and since the gen starts its activities by no later than the age of thirteen, I thought you were not—what humans usually call us— a vampire.“</p>
<p>There. He said it. <em>Vampire</em>.</p>
<p>He doesn't want to believe it, but everything starts to fall in order.</p>
<p>Then there is only one thing Sasuke is capable of thinking: his parents.</p>
<p>„Were mother and father...?“ He is not ready to say the word yet.</p>
<p>Itachi shakes his head, then explains: „Mom wasn't. The marriage of mother and father was quite... unusual, to put it simple. It's not forbidden to fall in love with a human, but it weakens the abilities the child inherits—<em>if</em> there is one—and is therefore rather seldom. Which is another aspect why I thought you were entirely human.“ He is pointing at his left eye, still glowing in red. „I turned at the age of six but only my left eye awoke, making me half human and half Sharingan. That led me to the conclusion second borns had no abilities at all, since you never showed any. But there you are, carrying the gift of our Clan.“</p>
<p>„Then why died dad in the car accident if he wasn't human?“</p>
<p>Itachi's hand squeezes softly. „Losing a great amount of blood is deadly, even for us, dear brother. “</p>
<p>Sasuke purses his lips in a mix of sadness and anger. He nods, breaking the eye contact and prefers to look at one corner of his room; still thankful for the calming hand in his. „Okay.“</p>
<p>„I wish I could explain everything to you, but father never had enough time to tell me all he knew. Even if there are some of us left, they are widely spread all over the world.“</p>
<p>„What happened to them?“</p>
<p>Itachi is putting a lose wisp of hair with his free hand behind his ear before he answers. „When you were little, there was a great bloodshed that killed most of our kin. I am ashamed to say so but the man who started the massacre was one of our own, Madara Uchiha. Father never told me why, only that Madara walked on this earth for a very long time before he went insane and tried to kill his own Children, starting with his brother Izuna.“</p>
<p>It is so much to take in, but he can't put into words how eased he feels suddenly, sinking into himself, his hands continuously cupped in the thin hand of his brother. He still has questions to be answered, though.</p>
<p>„You said we're—“ how strange that felt on his tongue. <em>We</em>. „—we're not allowed to tell others, even when they are family. Does this mean mom didn't know the whole time?“</p>
<p>„She knew what father was for sure, because she knew that I was, too. However, she wanted to stay human when father gave her the chance to turn.“</p>
<p>Sasuke tilts his head, a curious gaze painted on his face. „So not all vampires are born, some are made.“</p>
<p>„Yes, an exclusivity for Purebloods. I don't inherit this ability.“</p>
<p>„Does your fiancée know what you are?“</p>
<p>Itachi shakes his head. „There are advantages by being a Mixed-Blood, too. It also means that I am still able to nourish myself with human food. Drinking blood is another option, but not a necessity. So, I choose not to tell her and maybe I never will.“</p>
<p>He stops for a moment, then speaks again. Sasuke doesn't answer anything because he is not sure what to say to his brother. He thinks there is nothing good enough.</p>
<p>„Anyways, we are only allowed to expose ourselves to humans in one case,“ he tells as a light smile appears on his lips, „There is a lore about the Clan—why we are immune to fire and as a result of that also to sunlight—telling that first of our kin were born by flames. Therefore is an immortal fire burning in every one of our kin, letting us feel emotions more intensively than others. It is both a blessing and a curse. If an Uchiha falls in love, there is nothing that will ever change that—not even death can do them apart. And if an Uchiha of pure blood falls in love with a human, they can't feed on other humans anymore. The bond made will be so strong the body won't accept any other blood than the one you love.“</p>
<p>Sasuke swallows. He hears his heart beating nervously in his chest. He slowly takes his hands back, letting them fall into his lap.</p>
<p>„Does the human need to reciprocate the feelings for that to happen?“</p>
<p>But Itachi just shrugs his shoulders, a small spark in his eyes—the Sharingan in his left eye has vanished by now. „Sadly, that's something I don't know.“</p>
<p>Sasuke's jaw feels suddenly very tense, but he tries to seem as unaffected as possible. „Okay.“</p>
<p>He clears his throat and concentrates on a point between Itachi's eyebrows when he asks, „What does happen when our kin tries to feed from another human nonetheless?“</p>
<p>„Every time they nourish from someone they don't love, the body will refuse the blood by making them throw up.“ In a fraction of a second Itachi's face displays a mug grin. „The kin must feed from their beloved or else they die.“</p>
<p>„Is there no other way? What if the human doesn't want to share  their blood with a <em>fucking </em>vampire?“</p>
<p>There must be another option—he could never force Naruto into doing this–he wouldn't—</p>
<p>„An Uchiha knows how to <em>persuade</em> a human, Sasuke. It is our gift given by fire. There is no way the human will remember anything if it is used correctly. But I'm sure, in your case, that won't even be necessary if we're still speaking about the same boy I think we are.“</p>
<p>„O—Shut the fuck up, Itachi."</p>
<p>He chuckles. „Well, how are your grades?”</p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When Itachi leaves his apartment hours after they started talking, not without hugging his little brother to say goodbye, Sasuke feels very drained and tired.</p>
<p>It is like the fatigue is sitting in his bones, making him feel so incredibly heavy that the only thing he wants now is sleep—a long, peaceful sleep without dreams until the warm morning sun on his stomach will wake him up again.</p>
<p>His eyes itch a little as he blinks, they are too dry from the loss of water in his body but he is pleased with the situation as it is now nonetheless. He knows he is not alone and even when he still wishes everything is just his imagination, that he is still human and not bound to the blood of an idiot, it's fine.</p>
<p>There is deep calmness settling in his body when he feels the softness of his pillow and blanket on his skin, warm and cozy.</p>
<p>Everything is still confusing, of course, yet a lot to take in, but he has answers he needed so bad and it's just that it seems bearable. It is okay. At least for now.</p>
<p>He decides to let his window open this night again, the air outside is still warm enough he won't catch a flu—well, that is something he doesn't have to worry about anymore anyway, huh?—but still, he prefers his air fresh and cool when he sleeps.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, his stomach pain didn't stop and Itachi said it won't until his body gets what it needs or otherwise it will get worse and worse, to the point where Sasuke won't be able to decide if he wants to take the blood or not. He called it <em>frenzy</em>.</p>
<p>But that doesn't mean that he will be forced into drinking the blood of Naruto—maybe he just didn't find the right blood yet. There is still a chance, even when it's small, that he can nourish from other human, too. He should try someone who isn't drunk next time; but he won't drink from his best friend, no, because that feels like betrayal—to Naruto, but also to himself.</p>
<p>And his feelings for him are not worth mentioning anyway. It's just a little crush, something stupid. Childish even.</p>
<p>Nothing to worry about.</p>
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